Body Scan For When You Can't Switch Off

A long body scan for the kind of tiredness that sleep does not fix.
This is for the end of a day you have pushed through. You do not need to be good at meditation and you do not need to have done it before. Lying down is ideal, sitting is fine.
We move slowly through the body, one area at a time. Not to relax it or fix anything, but to notice what is already there. The body has usually been ignored for a long while, and it takes a little time before it trusts that it is being listened to.
There is nothing to achieve here. If you fall asleep, that is allowed.
Suitable for complete beginners.

Transcript

So wherever you are, Please take a comfortable sit. You may choose to close your eyes, Lower your gaze. Find a posture that embraces alertness. If you're sat on a chair, Make sure that your back is up straight. Perhaps slightly off the back of the chair. And if you sat cross-legged. Perhaps your hips are over your knees. Slightly elevated on a cushion. Now bring your attention to the breath. And just focus in the one area where it feels strongest It's usually the nostrils. Chest ballet. Just bring your attention there. Now bring your attention to your head, The top of your head, Your crown. Feel all the sensations around your head perhaps the back of your head. Can you relax the back of your head? The area of your eyes. Sometimes it helps to visualize the back of your eyes relaxing. Your brows relaxing, Perhaps bringing such a smile to your brows. Relaxing your face, Your jaw. Perhaps the teeth are slightly parted. Just relax your whole of the face, Head, Neck. Jaw, Teeth, Tongue, Feel the breath coming in and out. Should continue to relax bringing your attention to your shoulders. And feel them from the inside out. Perhaps you notice. The weight of your shoulders. Your arms hanging heavy alongside your body. Bring your attention down through your arms. All the way through to your hands. Tingling sensations. Of your hands. Your chest area. The area of your heart. The area in between your shoulders. Can you relax your heart? We carry so much. Continue scanning down to your belly. And feel your breath going in and out through a softening belly Relax your belly. And relax it again. Feel your whole upper body breathing relaxed if at any point your mind pulls you away into thoughts. Know that he's okay. We're just training our attention. Moving it from part to part. Bring your attention to where you make contact with a chair or cushion Chop off your legs. Feel the weight of your body. Your thighs. Your knees. Your calves. All the way down to ankles. Fetch. Perhaps you're right for each. Then your left foot. Your toes. Can you feel all of your toes? Now bring your attention to your whole body whole body breathe in scanning up and down, Down and up. With no particular rhythm, Just feeling the entire body. Not leaving any part behind as your breath continues in the background. You might place some awareness on your whole body, Your body breathing, The subtle sensations of the breath. We're simply allowing everything to be as it is. Not pushing anything away. Feel your hands, Bring your attention back to your hands. Perhaps fingers. And feel if there is any urge to move them. Or any urge to move anything in your body. Your eyes want to open. Just feel that pull and allow it to be. You might choose to congratulate yourself for allowing and for making space for this. You already start wiggling your toes and your fingers coming back to the room and the body There's no rush, You can start to open your eyes. You can stay here for as long as you want You just created a sanctuary that you can return to over and over. And it was all who was here. Thank you for practicing with me.